![heg.jpg heg.jpg](/214528/header_image-1320767506.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6ODQ4LCJmaWxlX2V4dGVuc2lvbiI6ImpwZyIsIm9ial9pZCI6MjE0NTI4fQ%3D%3D--98bdbd87237f5640ff8db379d7c0cba30984f874)
High-Energy Astrophysics at MPE
![original](/6858581/original-1517423994.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTg1ODF9--44397638a19b19c896ad603bd3489a1f77c5f21c)
![Chandra image of Cas A.](/6858331/original-1517423986.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTgzMzF9--178278e99f4b9f8b728eca889f1d0fd54baea2dc)
In the high energy domain of the electromagnetic spectrum (X-rays and gamma-rays), we observe emission from cosmic sources arising from processes at high temperatures (greater than about 1 million degrees), or highly energetic non-thermal phenomena. The bulk of the baryonic matter in our Universe is in such a hot phase, locked up in galaxy clusters, galaxy groups, and the intergalactic medium, and can only be seen via its X-ray emission. Similarly, as matter falls into black holes and other compact objects, energetic processes accelerate and heat matter to high temperatures, producing X-ray emission.
The core research topics in the MPE high energy group are:
- Compact Objects and Extreme Astrophysics
- Supermassive Black Hole Evolution
- Large Scale Structure
![XMM-Newton](/6858571/original-1517423993.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTg1NzF9--bf3ed8d5e7c09df6131430a468f0db3a385134a3)
![Fermi](/6858611/original-1517423994.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NTg2MTF9--7ac32b41bee4e1be9a50197ac4f9ba943b7e8306)
Because X-ray and gamma ray emission cannot be seen from the ground, the instrumentation to observe these high-energy phenomena must be launched into space. Our program at MPE incorporates one of the largest groups in the world working on instrumentation for X-ray astronomy, including X-ray optics.
![INTEGRAL](/6861079/original-1517424048.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NjEwNzl9--881cd33ea15cac9680f3041966db78aebc9c2988)
![Chandra](/6861099/original-1517424049.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6MjQ2LCJvYmpfaWQiOjY4NjEwOTl9--a914449c662f53953745c420cdcd6665ebd6880c)
The group has made major contributions to a large number of past and current high energy astrophysics projects, including Chandra, Fermi, INTEGRAL, ROSAT, Swift, and XMM-Newton. The eROSITA X-ray telescope was constructed at MPE for launch on the Russian/German Spektr-RG satellite in July 2019. The group will also play a major role in the Advanced Telescope for High-Energy Astrophysics (ATHENA), ESA's next large X-ray observatory with launch in 2028, by leading the development and construction of one of the two scientific instruments, the Wide Field Imager.